


Worth the Wait

by a1_kitkat



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Apologies, Attempted Seduction, Boys Kissing, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Kylex, Love Confessions, M/M, Not Beta Read, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 05:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20830013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: When they were kids Kyle was an avid piano player but it's been years since Alex last heard him play. When Alex hears him playing a familiar melody, many memories and feelings are stirred up for both of them.





	Worth the Wait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Robronisendgame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Robronisendgame/gifts).

He hadn’t seen Kyle in days which in itself that wasn’t an unusual thing; they could often go long stretches with barely more than a text especially given Kyle’s hectic schedule. Alex himself was more flexible since receiving his discharge from the Air Force. He had a few options for his future but had decided he wasn’t in a hurry to make any life changing decisions just yet; he needed time to find himself first.

Alex was certain Kyle wasn’t working tonight so he texted him but after an hour with no response, he called him up instead. The call diverted to voicemail and he stammered awkwardly as he tried to leave him a message. 

Horribly embarrassed, he ended the call then buried his face in his pillow while he screamed. 

He needed to get over this; these past few months, being around Kyle again was stirring up long buried feelings… Feelings from a lifetime ago, or so he thought.

As kids, they’d been inseparable thanks to the friendship between their fathers or what they’d believed to be friendship but was just the ‘family legacy’. Looking back over their childhood, Alex sometimes wondered how they’d missed the obvious. Their father’s  _ weren’t _ friends; the weekends spent at Jim’s hunting cabin had been excuses for Jesse to try building them into perfect recruits for Project Shepherd. They’d rebelled, of course; their childhood friendship had consisted of camping, swimming, hunting, survival skills. Jesse had tried to scare them around the campfire with stories of an invading threat. Kyle had always scoffed, Alex had merely followed Kyle’s lead while moving closer to him.

Some of his favorite memories were of shared sleeping bags on the living room floor, in front of the fireplace. 

The first time Alex had visited the cabin after Jim had left it to him, he’d slept on the floor and awoken with a sore back but he hadn’t cared.

Now all these feelings were resurfacing but he couldn’t tell anyone. He’d never told anyone that his first crush had been Kyle. In his mind, he’d tried to rationalize it; the amount of time they spent together, playing and giggling and bonding. It was inevitable that when Alex was learning his truth and accepting who he was that he’d fall for his extremely good looking best friend.

Of course he’d lived for months in fear that Kyle would figure it out and hate him for it but Kyle only knew half of it. He learned half of Alex’s secret and spent years bullying him for it… He never caught on that even when his words were tormenting him, Alex never stopped loving him and a part of him hated himself for it.

Now, years later, those feelings were stirring again but he couldn’t let Kyle know. They were finally in a good place with their friendship. Kyle had been his rock during the entire Michael and Maria debacle and Alex had been his while he learned to deal with Rosa being alive again and the knowledge that she’d known they were half siblings.

A part of him wished they could go back to a time when things were simpler, when they hadn’t thought twice about holding hands or sharing a sleeping bag but things were very different now. 

His phone beeped and he snatched it up. A text from Kyle was all it took to send his heart in a flutter.

‘Sorry, hectic day, dinner?’

Alex told himself to play it cool and not appear too eager. He was certain Kyle had absolutely no idea the effect he was having on him these days. Alex took a moment to compose himself as he tried to think about how coy to play it. They often had dinner together to go over Project Shepherd research so it wasn’t like it meant  _ anything _ more.

‘Sounds good’ he wrote back.

After that he didn’t waste any time, hurried upstairs to shower and change before he realized they hadn’t set a time or place… but they never did. They both just seemed to  _ know  _ exactly what the other had in mind.

Once he was showered and dressed, he checked the clock and decided to head to Kyle’s. A part of him felt the Doctor wasn’t looking after himself very well so he thought maybe he could sneak into his place and tidy it up a bit.

He drove the short distance to his friends place then made his way up the front walk to his door.

Alex reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys and unlocked the front door. 

The first sound that reached his ears was the melody of the piano and in that very moment, he felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. The beautiful sound immediately brought tears to his eyes as he remembered a time long ago when he used to hear the familiar notes of  _ that song _ all the time. His fingers twitched as he longed for the feel of his guitar in his hands.

He quietly moved through the house then paused in the doorway of the living room. The familiar old not-very-grand piano was shoved against the wall, Kyle seated in front of it with his back to Alex. He watched the way Kyle’s body moved while his fingers danced across the keys until he hit a bum note and stopped.

“Dammit!” Kyle hissed in frustration.

Alex observed as Kyle swung his fist and slapped the top of the piano then reached up and ran his hands through his hair before flexing his fingers, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Kyle rolled his shoulders then started playing the same melody again.

The hairs on the back of Alex’s neck tingled as he listened while still blinking back tears. This one melody held so many memories for him, of running into Kyle’s house and bouncing on the couch, leaning over the back to watch him play. It had been Kyle’s beautiful playing what had inspired Alex to pursue the guitar. 

Again Kyle’s fingers moved across the keys like they had a mind of their own until he reached that same section of the melody and once again hit the wrong note.

“Hijo de puta!”

Kyle jumped to his feet and kicked the side of the piano. He spun around and was startled to see Alex watching him.

“Alex!” He declared “I didn’t hear you come in”

“You never do” Alex replied as he folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe “it’s a soldier’s way to always be stealthy”

“How long have you…?”

Alex stood up straighter and looked at Kyle.

“I haven’t heard you play since we were kids,” he stated.

“Because I haven’t and that’s why it’s terrible” Kyle shrugged.

“Kyle-”

“I just… something isn’t right and I can’t figure it out”

“It’s been, what, a few days? I mean that definitely wasn’t here last time I was here for dinner”

“My mom was thinking of selling it; said no one had played it in years but I dunno… a part of me just couldn’t let it go just yet”

“Maybe it needs a tune up?”

“So you agree it was awful?”

Alex chuckled and shook his head.

“No” he smiled “will you play it again? For me?”

Kyle smiled then nodded his head.

He sank back down on the bench and positioned his hands on the keys. Alex moved closer into the room, around the couch then leaned back against it. He was almost close enough to reach a hand out to Kyle but he didn’t.

When the melody began, Alex closed his eyes and was immediately transported to easier times. He could clearly remember the way he used to watch Kyle play, so fixated upon his fingers. When he opened them, his gaze was once again drawn to those long, skilled fingers but now his thoughts were less PG and more R rated.

When Kyle hit that same wrong note, Alex stepped forward and placed his hands upon his shoulders in a bid to calm and soothe him.

“I thought this would be good for me” Kyle reasoned “a nice, relaxing activity to help unwind after a stressful day at work”

“A glass of wine, a bubble bath and a good book are also viable options” Alex replied as his fingers carefully pressed into Kyle’s tense muscles.

“Sounds good to me,” Kyle said as he closed his eyes “might have to join you some time”

Alex laughed to try to ease the tension as he was convinced Kyle hadn’t been fully listening and had therefore not realized what he’d said.

“Sure, why not?” He said, still laughing “maybe light some candles, order some Chinese food?”

“Is that what you’re in the mood for?” Kyle asked him.

Alex paused as he tried so hard not to read into what Kyle was unintentionally saying to him. It really did feel like he’d travelled back in time to when he was crushing on his friend so badly that every single thing Kyle said to him felt misleading.

“Can you play the song again?” Alex asked “just  _ one _ more time”

Kyle sighed but reached up and placed his hand upon Alex’s, gently petting it.

“Only because you asked so nicely” Kyle reasoned. He then moved over enough to make room for Alex to sit beside him.

Removing his hands from Kyle’s shoulders wasn’t easy but he was almost as excited to be invited to sit so close to him. Alex moved carefully then eased onto the bench. It was much smaller than he remembered and they were forced to sit very close together, thighs practically touching.

Alex reached up and placed his hand on the keys. Kyle looked up at him and smiled so brightly Alex’s heart skipped a beat. He placed both hands on the keyboard and once again began to play. 

As he neared the section he waived on, Alex joined in and they looked into each other’s eyes. Both were smiling and feeling like they were twelve years old again. When Kyle messed up, he simply kept playing while Alex’s voice sang the gentle words of the melody.

They eventually reached the end of the song and both were left just gazing into the other’s eyes. Suddenly, he was twelve years old again and all he wanted to do was kiss him.

Neither of them said a word as Kyle’s hand slid along the keys to find Alex’s. His pinkie hooked onto Alex’s.

“Remember when we pinky promised to never ever play that song with anybody else?” Kyle whispered.

“We promised each other a lot of things” Alex replied almost sadly.

“Like how we’d be best friends forever?”

“And forever only lasted till high school”

Alex slowly retracted his hand. This conversation was stirring up very different memories and feelings now.

“Alex, I’m sorry,” Kyle whispered “for  _ everything _ ”

“I told you I wasn’t after an apology” Alex looked away.

“I know you don’t want one but I have to say it… I'm sorry for the way I acted, the way I treated you, the way I… turned on you when you were… you were scared and confused and you needed a friend… I should have been that friend”

“Forget about it, Kyle”

“That’s the thing though, I can’t” Kyle paused “because I’m about to quote every stereotypical cliche out there by saying…” he took a nervous breath “I pushed you away because I was scared”

“I know” Alex started to get up, wanted to excuse himself from the awkwardness of the conversation.

“No, you don’t know” Kyle reached out, grabbed Alex’s hand with both of his and stared up into his eyes “I was scared that one day you might try to kiss me and I would have let you... because I wanted you to… I  _ really  _ wanted you to”

“Kyle…?” Alex frowned in confusion.

“Alex, I have loved you since I was twelve” Kyle stated “why else do you think I learned  _ this _ song in particular?”

“I…” Alex stammered.

“Because it was  _ your _ favorite. How many times did you make us watch that cartoon? You know I bought it on bluray last month? The run time is  _ barely _ an hour!”

“I just… all I ever wanted was… for my Prince Charming to come find me and dance with me in the woods while forest creatures sang to us” he smiled at the childhood memory “I dreamed of it every night we spent at the cabin… But… You never once asked me to dance”

“So I’m asking you now” Kyle said to him. He climbed to his feet without letting go of Alex’s hand. “I know we’re not in the woods and I’m no Prince Charming but will you please dance with me, Alex?”

“Kyle-” he heard the fear in his own voice as he managed to pull his hand free.

“I’m tired of pretending there isn’t something between us; I thought giving you a key was pretty succinct-”

“I thought it was a security thing” Kyle laughed at Alex’s statement. “Twice I’ve had to confiscate the Project Shepherd files from you to force you to get some sleep”

“Only for me to have to do the same thing to you”

Alex’s heart was beating fast as he backed away from Kyle and right into the couch. Kyle stepped over the piano bench but didn’t move any closer.

“I wish I could think of something heartwarming or romantic to say to you” Kyle began “or anything to make up for everything I did to you because I was a jerk and I can’t undo any of it… But… I  _ have _ changed. I’m not that dumb jock anymore. I know who I am now... and what I do and don’t want… And I don’t want to… deny myself something or someone who I want to be with and who I… really hope feels the same way about me”

“Kyle-”

“I wanted to ask you” Kyle continued “every night when we slept on the cabin floor, sharing our sleeping bags; every night I said to myself ‘I’ll ask him tomorrow’ then when I…” he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists “I had my Superman cape and I put it on, went looking for you but I found your dad instead. He took one look at me and he just  _ knew _ ” he sighed as he sank back down on the bench. “He grabbed my wrist, yanked the cape off me then… he said… he said to me… ‘it’s bad enough having one fag around here, we don’t need two’ and he twisted my wrist as a warning to… never touch you…” he blinked back tears “I was a dumb kid and I was scared of him so I ran and I had to separate myself from you, somehow, so I pushed you away in the only way I could think of”

Alex was fighting back tears of his own. A part of him was in shock to hear what his father had done but he didn’t doubt Kyle’s story for even a second. History repeated itself when his father went after Michael the same way.

“The first time I saw Guerin’s hand” he continued “I was too afraid to ask but I knew in my gut, that Jesse was responsible and I… I always wondered how much braver than me he’d been to sustain such a lasting injury”

“Kyle-”

“I know I can’t even begin to compete with what you and Guerin had… have… mean to each other... but I don’t  _ want _ to. We’re both nearing thirty, of course we’re going to have history and ex’s but moving forward doesn’t erase what those relationships meant to us at the time or even now”

Alex opened his mouth to try again but Kyle seemed so lost in his own thoughts and feelings and memories that he didn’t even know  _ what _ to say. What could he possibly say to that? Yes, Kyle was right and they both had ex’s they didn’t want to forget or pretend had never meant anything to them. But Kyle had dropped quite a bombshell on him and Alex needed time to process or to just think about what it all meant. Yet Kyle was fighting back tears and his instinctive reflex was to reach out.

“Kyle-” Alex began only to be cut off yet again.

“This isn’t how I wanted this to go” Kyle looked up at Alex “I’m sorry; I’m not good at this! But I… I had a plan and a speech… well, not really a speech more a series of gestures that would remind you of who I was before I turned into the asshole jerk who pushed you away when all I really wanted to do was just hold your hand... I had it all planned out, we’d watch the movie then I’d play that song on the piano and tell you… ” 

“Kyle” Alex took a step closer then reached out and took both of Kyle’s hands in his. “I’m sorry my dad did that to you” he whispered “I seem to have to apologize a lot for the things my dad did because of me”

“No, it wasn’t your fault, Alex” Kyle insisted “and I never once blamed you! But I blame myself now… for listening to him, for letting him get into my head like that and… for all the cruel things I said to you in high school…”

“Kyle” Alex started again. He released one of Kyle’s hands and placed his on his chin, urged him to look up at him and they looked into each other’s tear filled eyes. “I don’t want to be stuck in the past anymore… We’re not those kids anymore; you’re a Doctor and I’m an unemployed vet with PTSD… But we’re also friends, Kyle” 

“Friends” Kyle echoed with a nod of his head.

Alex silently urged him to his feet so Kyle followed his lead but once he was standing before him, Alex reached up again and gently cupped Kyle’s cheek. His heart was racing and he watched as Kyle closed his eyes. He could practically feel Kyle’s entire body trembling at his gentle touch.

“Kyle-” Alex began.

“Please stop saying my name like that” Kyle whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Alex used his thumb to carefully brush the tears from Kyle’s face. 

“Look at me” Alex softly whispered but Kyle shook his head no. “Please? Look at me”

He kept his hands upon Kyle’s face, gently stroking his skin in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. Alex leaned closer as his own heart skipped a beat then he dared to close the distance between them and brushed his lips against Kyle’s.

It was no surprise that Kyle immediately pulled away and stared at him, eyes wide in shocked surprise.

“Alex?” he whispered. “What-?”

“Shhhh” Alex placed his finger to Kyle’s lips. “Kyle, I don’t even know where to begin to start to comprehend all this… How  _ different _ things could have been between us and…” he took a deep breath “we can’t undo the past but we  _ can _ move forward, together, if… if that’s something you’d want”

Kyle reached up and placed both hands over Alex’s as he gazed into his eyes.

“Alex?” he frowned. “After everything I did to you-”

“That was the past” Alex said “and we shouldn’t hold on to that anymore”

Kyle slowly nodded his head then he threw his arms around Alex, pulled him close and kissed him. He didn’t miss a beat and was quick to return the kiss until they could hold it no longer and parted to draw breath.

“Now will you dance with me?” Kyle whispered.

“Only if you hold my hand” Alex replied.

Kyle nodded his head then he slowly reached down and slid his arm around Alex’s waist. With his other hand he gently stroked down Alex’s arm until he reached his hand and carefully entwined their fingers. Alex placed his other hand upon Kyle’s shoulder and they looked into each other’s eyes.

“There’s no music” Kyle whispered.

“We don’t need it” Alex replied.

As they gently began to sway in each other’s arms, Alex softly hummed the familiar melody. They took their time to slowly dance around the living room, occasionally bumping into furniture. Even after they reached the end of the song, they continued to move slowly against each other until Alex leaned in and kissed him.

“I… I wish we’d done this years ago” Kyle murmured.

“It was worth the wait” Alex replied.

“It really was” Kyle agreed. He leaned in for another kiss. “Now, about that bubble bath...” 

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone was wondering the song in question was 'Once Upon a Dream' from Disney's Sleeping Beauty


End file.
